The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-25

my ClituluSblhNtS WH Nlcl uui uiH N"o
the only conclusion that was open to them!
She had wandered into the jungle-hor
diseased brain lured hy the promise OF
safety which its shadow held out to her
terrors-and there met her fate. Some
day a native, tending the village cattle
among its obscure paths, would find and
carry to the bazaar n fragment OF her
dress. That would be all.
] will not dwell longer upon this dark
ending to the tragedy. ] dwelt upon it IN
those days until / had sunk into a morbid
gloom from which nothing could rouse
me. | made my preparations for depart
urc, and remained in the precincts OF my
WI quarters having my meals brought
10 me from the mess-until the last day OF
my s%ojourn in Jullabad. | made my
round Of farewell calls with q heavy heart,
and was disappointed to the verge OF grief
by discovering, when | came TO say good
bye to her, that Lady O'Reilly had lett
Jullabad. She was gonc to Europe a week
or more. The kind word and kind look
Of that trucst and l~ovclicst OF women,
.hich | had hoped 10 take away with me
my only comfort from this dark empire,
/ was obliged TO 90 without.
1t was not until ! had got on board the
mail steamer Mt Bombay and we began TO
rccede from the dark shores that | was
able TO turn my mind to the future. With
the last sight Of the inland hills | went be-
low and lay down to think. ] opened tho
book OF the future and tried TO face the
task. II was Il hard one A delicate
mother and sister depending mainly on
my help for their support; and now my
proiossion-to prepare me for which my
mother had prIcticed hard economies
which she and Agnes could i'll aliord-was
| gone for life. must seek something else.
| must take measure Of my qualifications,
and push into the struggling crowd OF
seekers with all my strength; but alas, |
might have TO wait long and bear many
disappointmcnts, and what should they do
in the mcantimci For the first three days
] was too i'll Ia come ON deck, and lay IN
the s%tiilling solitude of my cabin, except
for an hour OF 80 in the middle OF the cool
night. On the evening of the third day |
felt better and vent up about 10 o'clock. |
hung over the side Of the vessel, obscry-
ing the phosphorcsccnt roll OF the water,
and passiyely enjoying The quiet GOODNESS,
troubled with no thoughts OF this life, MS is
always the case when one is caught by the
influence Of nature on sca or shore, when
one OF the last things Icouldhayc dreamed
Of happened to me. A hand lightly
touched my arm, and, turning round, |
beheld Lady 0'Reillyi =.
81 thought II was YOU, Mr.. Everest"
she said. "llavo you been ill2'
"Only seasick. But ! thought you were
almost in England by this time, Lady
O'Beilly. / needn't say ] am glad TO meet
you on this steamer, for IL was a keen dis
appointment 10 inc when | went TO say
goodbye aud WAS told that you were
gone"
She put her hand on my arm and !
walked along the deck with her. | longod
with a morbid craving TO talk about Mrs.
IIumby's tate, but Lady O'Rcilly avoided
the subject, aud after two or three at
tempts | rccollcctcd myself and returned
tn il no more. Was IL a topic fitting Ia ask
her to dwell upon2 And the painful shock
Ia her generous wnmanly faith which Mrs.
Humby's fight must have caused was in
itself reason enough why i should avoid
bringing the haplcss woman's fate into our
conversation. But suffering Is scliish-it
was an effort tO me To think or talk ot any
thing else. So Mrs. IIumby was left in the
past. I had no interest In the present,
and the future was too dark TO dwell upon.
Cheerful words Lady O'Rcilly did address
To Inc, with all the warm sympathetic
kindness Of her heart, but they awokc mo
RESPONSE IN me. sDon began even 10 feel
III and faint, and stainmcrcd a cOniuscd
apology.
'"You are in, Mr.. Everest. You must
lie down and send for tho doctor. NJ
she spoke, ] dropped ON q seat, aud alter
looking nj me "a few seconds, Lady Reilly
placed her cool hand ON my forehead.
"My poor boy, she sud, you have fever.
Go to your cabin at once; / will send the
doctor 10 YOU
Staggering somehow down the compan.
ion-way, | suCcrcded in rcachingmy cabin,
and flung myself on my bed. The grad.
ual oper ttion Oi causes long working had
come 10 sudden climax, and felt pros.
tmtey like one having the heavy hand o
death upon him. This was the night ol
the third DAY out from Bombay; aud IL wa,
not until We had passed Gibraltar, and
were stcaming along in sight Of the sunny
Portuguese coast, that the consciousness d
life again returned to me. The awakening
WIS very gradual. / think / must hay,
been ~iury-ciglt hours emerging
slowly from the shadow Of de
lirium. The hrSt conscious i'm
preston was that Of very low, sweet hum
ming behind the curtain which shHlel th,
head of my bcrlh. ] felt no interest s,y,
, that Of tranquil pleasure; nor was ] sur
: prisel when I discovered my companion
Ia hc an ayah, ~, after u while, she rose
| and drawing the white chcddar over hcI
head, gave me some medicine. 1h'
/ woman was evidently not aware that th,
dcliriun had PASSED away, and her SINAI
I dusky hand was very light aud cool, whci
( from time 10 time she laid II gently on ml
, forehead.
All the night sho remained with me
' Sometimes | slept, but ~ often ~ ! awok'
{ my watchiul nurse WIS ready 10 mini-tc
/. 90 my wants. She was n young woman
an attendant upon some lady passenger
1 and ~ silent and gentle and attentive tina
\ no white.hcod Sister OF Mercy coul,
0 awaken a more grateful glow OF homage u
!, n patients bosom than that which ! TEL
warming mine toward this Indian nurse
{ She deserved IL; II her skin WIS dark, lac
spirit WIS that Of a ministoring angel q
/. light.
In the morning the doctor came, al
dressed a few questions 20 the aynh, nn'
I appeared much satisfied with his cAmuina
: ton oi my condition. An hour Or ~ late
= Lady O'Roilly came. | wa sensible q
/. lack oi slpngh to speak, and therefor
= made no sign Tor the present OF being =
l much better but Lady ORcilly whispcrc
In llindustani with The woman for u lo'
minutes, and then sent her away.
Will Il be- credited that this noblcst q
women took her ayah's place W. my nm,
r. aud had. rs | Inferred, been doing ~ NJ
along2 I could hardly credit II mysciI
4 hut ns hours pnsscd aud she sat by ~
!. berth reading or sewing, rising NJ ircqucn
intervals 10 attend 10 my wants, ] rcalinc
IL with an access Of emotion which oycl
. powered me Ut last. Her surprise va
nr.ul mhnn nn uilhlrLminm Lnr LnmI LnnI